The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has today issued a statement distancing itself from a ‘WhatsApp message’ making rounds on WhatsApp. The ‘WhatsApp message’ falsely allows WhatsApp users to cast a vote for Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa. In the announcement, ZEC said that the message comes in the form of an app that people are distributing on the WhatsApp platform.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission would like to dissociate itself with an app circulating on the WhatsApp platform

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Some WhatsApp users could be duped into believing that the app is a ZEC app because it has a ZEC logo.

How does the app work?

After a WhatsApp user receives the app (message), the users download and install the app. As the user finishes installing the app, there will be a button labeled “Click to vote”. And when a user clicks the button it shows a notification congratulating the user on voting for Emmerson Dambudzo Munangagwa. The notification reads:

Zec further assured the public that it does not communicate with people using WhatsApp. Rather, it’s using the ZEC twitter handle and bulk SMS to communicate with the public.

The country’s Electoral watchdog went on to mention that it is impossible for people to vote via apps as it is mandatory for the voter to be physically present at a designated polling station to be able to vote.

The’WhatsApp message’ can be seen as fake news

The aforementioned ‘WhatsApp message’ is part of growing problem that many countries and companies are fighting. That problem is fake news. And ZEC’s press statement could be translated as an effort to try curbing the spread of fake news which could influence voters decisions (although I doubt the ‘WhatsApp message’ could have influenced voters).

On the regional scene, Uganda is one country is being affected with fake news and the problem is pushing its government to deliberate on introducing a social media tax as a way to limit Ugandans in using social media and ultimately combat fake news.

Christopher Mutsvangwa, commonly referred to as just Chris Mutsvangwa is a Zimbabwean politician, and special advisor to President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Mutsvangwa is businessman .In December 2017 he was appointed as the Secretary for Science and Technology in Zanu-PF. Mutsvangwa contested in the 2018 harmonized elections... Read More About Chris Mutsvangwa